Virtual and real labs for introductory physics II: optics, modern physics, and electromagnetism

Abstract

[Excerpt] The pandemic stimulated the publication of this collection of detailed instructions for 19 different laboratory activities. It appears to be designed to support the laboratory component of an algebra-based introductory physics course on electromagnetism, optics, electronics and early quantum physics. Nearly all of the experiments are presented in two alternative versions: virtual experiments simulated using java applications from the Physics Education Technology project (PhET) followed by a roughly equivalent ‘real’ version. Each chapter contains a brief review of the main physical concepts and key formulas needed to understand the activities. Nearly all of the ‘real’ procedures are based on laboratory kits sold by PASCO. The main exceptions are some electronics experiments that require a basic 2-channel oscilloscope to obtain sufficient temporal resolution. [...]